She knows I’ll be there regardless, if she’s fucking around with me or not.
Whether she is or isn’t, tonight is going to land the way I planned it anyway.
Tad Delacroix isn’t leaving in a good mood.
Especially when Zoe is done with him.
23
SIENNA
I’ve beenon edge all day.
Micah is supposed to be here any minute, while Heath is sitting at his desk working on his English assignment—coloring a story about foxes—and I can’t stop staring at the door.
This is insane.
Meeting with Micah, a parent, shouldn’t be this damn stressful, but we started this, he ended it, but I can’t seem to get myself out of the mindset that I miss it.
Terribly.
I could almost forgive everything he’s done if I could easily get over the fact that us not dating is for the best. If Micah were Jonah or Thaddeaus, I could do without a problem.
However, I’m stuck in this vortex of rebelling and holding a grudge. It’s exhausting and, frankly, distracting. My kids were up in arms today with their hyper butts, and I let them go crazy because, well, I was planning on how I was going to act today.
Over one parent.
I need to treat this like anyone else and keep it moving. That has to be the plan.
The room shifts on a dime as Micah enters the space. Both Heath and I feel it because he’s already jumped out of his chair and sprinted toward him like he hasn’t seen his father in weeks.
My heart clenches tight in my chest as I watch Micah get down to his haunches to receive the massive hug he gives his dad.
A father protecting his son.
What kind of female would I be if I didn’t want him to do that? In the grand scheme of everything, it’s what needs to happen. I just wish Micah would’ve cut us off more empathically.
How would he have done that if you were pushing him and wouldn’t accept no as an answer?
No is a full sentence, Sienna.
Releasing a silent sigh of remorse, annoyance at myself, and exhaustion over the matter, I patiently wait for Micah and Heath to have their moment as I rise from my desk so we can start.
Heath’s arms tighten around Micah’s neck as if sensing he needs to let go soon, and I wonder if he knows.
If he knows everything that’s moving in the background of his world.
“I need to meet with Miss Vesper, buddy,” Micah finally says as he slowly pulls away from his son. “You wanna wait in the hall where it’s nice and quiet and?—”
“Yes.” Heath pivots and turns toward his desk, plucks his drawing and crayons, and begins to leave the room.
Micah ruffles his dark hair on his way out, then softly closes the door behind him.
Then it’s us.
Charged space and unspoken things we wish were true but aren’t.
To have met in a space where reality has fast-forwarded a year, and we could’ve allowed our relationship to freely blossom without reservation or other people’s perspectives.
